SITTA KRUEPERL 
(KRUPER’S NUTHATCH.) 
Sitta krueperi, Von Pelz. Sitz. kaiserl. Akad. Wissensch. Wien, xlviii. Abth. i. p. 149 (1863). 
Figura notabilis. 
Sclater, Ibis, 1865, pl. vu. 
3 ad. supra cinereus: lined angusta frontali et supercilio cum facie laterali et gutture toto sericeo-albis: pileo 
antico nigro: tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus: remigibus cinerascenti-brunneis, primariis extus 
distincté cano limbatis: caudd nigra, ad apicem albicante aut cinerascente: subtus diluté cinereus, 
abdomine et subcaudalibus pallidé rufescentibus: torque pectorali leeté castaneo: cruribus albis: rostro 
corneo: pedibus plumbeis: iride brunnea. 
Juv. voulto pallidior et sordidior: torque pectorali multo pallidiore, et fronte nigra absente. 
Male adult. Above slaty grey ; forehead from the base of the beak to the centre of the head glossy black ; 
wing-coverts the same as the back; quills brown, with a slaty tinge; the two central tail-feathers slaty 
grey, the others being black extensively tipped with grey ; lores, and an indistinct line passing through 
and behind the eye, blackish; cheeks, throat, and sides of head pure white; on the fore part of the 
breast a large, irregularly crescent-shaped patch of a rich chestnut-red; underparts otherwise dull 
slaty grey, the feathers round the vent and the under tail-coverts being marked with rust-colour ; under 
wing-coverts slaty grey; bill dark horn, lighter at base; legs slate-grey; iris brown. ‘Total length 
41 inches, culmen 0°6, wing 2:9, tail 1:5, tarsus 0°65. 
Female. Similar to the male. 
Young. Similar to the adult, except that it is much duller in colour, and the breast is dull rufous instead of 
being rich red as in the adult, added to which it lacks the black frontal mark. 
Tuts beautiful and very distinct species of Nuthatch is as yet only known to inhabit Asia Minor 
and Palestine. It was first discovered by our friend Dr. Kriiper, and described by Herr von 
Pelzeln. Dr. Kriper informs us that it is by no means a rare species near Smyrna. It differs 
materially from Sitta cesia and Sitta europea in its mode of nidification ; for instead of plastering 
up a hole already formed, it hacks out a fresh round hole in a rotten branch or trunk of a tree, 
and uses no plaster whatever. “On the 8th of May last” (1871), writes Dr. Kriiper, “I found 
three nests, and cut an entrance into one through the rotten wood at the back of the tree, but 
found no eggs in it. On the 18th of May I revisited this nest, and took out of it five very 
slightly incubated eggs. The second nest was forsaken; and the third contained young birds. 
This species appears to raise only one brood in the year.” Canon Tristram includes it in the 
fauna of Palestine, his notes on the subject being as follows:—‘ Mr. Sclater has rightly cor- 
‘rected me (Ibis, 1865, p. 309) for the statement that the bird we procured south of Hermon 
Less 
